1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to distributed order fulfillment systems and methods, including a wireless printer device for network-based communications relating to orders for goods and/or services and the management and fulfillment of those orders.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, it is known in the relevant art to provide remote ordering systems and methods to allow customers to place an order for items, such as restaurant food, by sending a text message or SMS message from a mobile phone or by placing an order through a website, located remotely from the provider of the items. It is also known in the art to use thermal printing for order processing and fulfillment for restaurants. By way of background, thermal printing provides digital printing without ink; the methods include selectively heating coated thermochromic paper or thermal paper to produce a printed image without ink when the paper passes over a thermal print head, which transforms the selectively heated spots black, thereby producing a printed image or text on the paper.
More specifically, it is known in the prior art to use wireless thermal printers for receiving text messages or short message service (SMS) messages for printing orders based upon the message. However, the recipient printer apparatus does not provide for communication over 3G or 4G wireless networks, and does not allow for response relating to order confirmation and fulfillment at the recipient printer, in communication to an order management coordinator or server or to individual remote order placing individuals or entities.
Relevant prior art references are exemplified in the following documents:
UK Patent Application No. GB2472018, filed Jul. 21, 2009 (also related to GB Patent Application No. GB0912623.6) by Sujan, for “Ordering System,” discloses an ordering system consisting of webpage(s) placing orders and two other devices process the order in a remote location such as a takeaway or a restaurant, wherein the invention sends the order by only sending encoded SMS messages to a printer device which is the first device receiving the order via the GSM network and then decodes the order with the embedded hardware and prints the order with all kinds of formation required. This order is then accepted or rejected by the device user and the status is sent back to the SMS sender via encoded SMS. The second device is a satellite navigator with barcode reader to read the order address from the printed barcode and set the destination of the navigation system automatically. The thermal printer device is sold commercially in the UK by iBacs Ltd./iBacsTel Remote Printers, and described on its company website as operable to receive and print orders in a remote location via the GSM network (SMS) so that when messages are directly received to this GSM printer it has the functionality to process the order and can reply back status messages, namely accept, reject, delete, and feed (and numerical keys are provided as the only other functional buttons on the device) to the designated server via SMS. The company website states that this printer has the following limitations: “at the simplest level it is possible to send one way message to the printer; at the most complicated it is possible to set expire times for message, require restaurants acknowledge receipt of message before they are printed, receive feedback from the restaurant relating to the message, e.g. a delivery time for an order, and remove message from the printer queue that have not yet been printed.” Notably, this printer is used for direct communication via SMS with customers placing food orders (to-go, pickup or delivery). Also, this printer is limited in printout dimensions at 58 mm width.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,200,550, filed May 15, 2007 by Stephen Aitkins, for “Systems and methods for remote ordering,” teaches systems and methods for remote ordering where there is a client that is configurable to accept orders; an information processing system, that is in communication with the client and configurable to receive orders from the client; a plurality of wireless modules in disparate physical locations that are in wireless communication with the information processing system and configurable to receive orders from the information processing system; and an order presentation client that is in communication with the wireless module and configurable to present the order. Furthermore, the information processing system is configurable to route the orders to a selected wireless module based on the order.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20050060250, filed Sep. 17, 2003 by Haparnas et al., for “Billing and ordering system and method for services provided over communications networks,” discloses a method for ordering a service over a communications network having the steps of selecting a first service to be provided from a first system to a second system, wherein the service is associated with a first code; a message comprising the first code and user identifying information is generated in response to selecting the first service. The message is forwarded to the first system from the second system.
WIPO Publication No. WO2006133713, filed Jun. 16, 2006 by Jesper et al., for “Ordering system with terminal unit using a wireless network,” describes an ordering system for ordering services or goods comprising a plurality of client computers connected to a digital data network, the client computers comprising means for receiving input from a client concerning orders, a central server system comprising a first software program and being connected to a first database and to the digital data network, the first database comprising digital data representing information about services or goods, service providers or good providers, the first software program being configured for communication with the client computers through the digital data network for providing data from the first database to the client computers concerning offers for services or goods and for receiving digital data representing the orders for the services or goods, the first software program being programmed to transmit an order to a service provider or goods provider in dependence of the order from a client, at least one terminal unit at the site for the service provider or good provider, the terminal unit being configured for receiving orders from the first software program and having means for indicating the requested orders to the service or goods provider, a wireless digital data network for transmitting data between the first software program and the terminal unit through a non-dedicated wireless line.
WIPO Publication No. WO2008004241, filed Jul. 8, 2007 by Alon Scharz, for “A method and system for ordering and supplying goods and services via a cellular phone,” describes a method and a system for ordering and supplying goods and services including the steps of an end user sending a coded SMS message using a specially created syntax from a cellular device to an intermediary computer, which is configured to identify the supplier of goods being ordered from the coded SMS message and route the received message to the identified supplier of goods. The coded SMS message may also include unique identifiers for identifying goods being ordered, menu or catalog identifier codes, identifiers to identify the method of payment and the method of delivery.
WIPO Publication No. WO2008046613, filed Oct. 18, 2007 by Wolfram Reiners, for “A method to take orders and to handle billing for third party services for mobile devices,” describes a method for taking orders and handling billing for third party services is disclosed that comprises the steps of: under the control of an initiating digital device: creating and sending an order to a computerized operator system (A), the order being a formatted text message containing order information data; under the control of the computerized operator system (A): receiving the order, validating the formatted text message contained in the received order, creating a formatted text message confirming the order and sending the formatted text message to the initiating digital device or, in the case of invalid received data, returning an error message, under the control of a digital device of a merchant (B): receiving the formatted text message confirming the order; creating a formatted text message reconfirming the order and confirming that payment has been received, and sending the same back to the computerized operator system (A), wherein the computerized operator system (A) charges the merchant bank account on receipt of the formatted text message reconfirming the order.
However, the prior art references nowhere teach or provide the improved systems, methods, and apparatus of the present invention, as set forth in the detailed description of this specification.